Always tired

charley0419

hi everyone hope all doing well. Question my wife ,if you met her, is very hard to pin as having dimentia as she hinds well but it’s there. What I’m asking is she sleeps 8 hrs straight through nite but at times tired by 10am. Always tired by 4 pm. Anyone have this issue

midge333

As the disease progresses, I think it is common to sleep more and more. Others will share their experience as well. My DW sleeps 10-11 hours at night and takes at least one long nap during the day. She has, on more than one occasion, slept 18 hours in a 24 hour period.

CindyBum

Yes. I was told it's common. My DW always had trouble sleeping at night and never napped. It was one of the initial triggers for me, along with other signs, to recognize something was going on when she started sleeping solidly through the night and taking naps throughout the day. So unlike her when it started, but now her normal the last 4 years.

harshedbuzz

I suspect this is very common.

We began to see an uptick in overnight hours slept in dad in the later middle stages— he'd sleep as many as 10-12 hours overnight and then nap during the day. He also reported being "tired" when I suspect he was really feeling more apathetic about doing something we asked him to do.

That said, showtiming exhausted him both physically and mentally. If dad had a doctor's appointment or visitor during the day where he'd been working hard at presenting his best self, he crashed as soon as it was over. You routinely mention your belief that your wife's dementia would not be obvious to others which makes me wonder if she showtimes a great deal. Perhaps she's wired this way or maybe it's a function of anxiety.

HB

Jeanne C.

Hey Charley - this is common. My theory is that it's very tiring for them to think. I've noticed that the more my husband speaks and interacts with people, the more tired he is and the more he sleeps. I can't even imagine how hard it is for him to put thoughts together.

JDancer

My husband has started going to bed earlier and sleeping later. I'm grateful for the extra time alone. His constant shadowing, confusion and repetition is exhausting.

OhDear

My husband is also in bed more - I know he's up sometimes at night but I don't always wake up. He gets very tired about 4 or 5 pm and takes a nap. But often he's confused and starts his day over - wanting to go out to do errands at 10 pm. He gets very angry that I have no plans to go out. Anyone have this? I try to keep him busy most of the day and walk in the afternoon but it no longer seems to work. Frustrating!

michiganpat

My husband goes to bed at 7pm and sleeps until 6:30 am most days. I am thankful for the quiet as he talks constantly while awake, repeating his stories or complaining about something or other.

mpang123

Dad used to be sleeping a lot. Sleeps from 7pm to 7 am then naps after breakfast, then naps in afternoon. But mom doesn't want him to sleep so much. Palliative doctor said to let him sleep cuz his dementia is making his brain tired and that's why he's sleeping so much. But lately he's able to stay awake longer, and more active by walking pushing his wheelchair around. He still needs 24/7 supervision, help with ADLs, and fall risk.

charley0419

thank you all

charley0419

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/210701#Comment_210701

wife very proud strong lady , she knows she not right but hides well

ronda b

My Dh is just the opposite. He goes to bed about 6pm gets up anywhere from 10 to midnight. Stays up for about 3 hours and goes back to bed. Usually he'll get back up from 5am to around 8. Some nights he thinks it's the next day

Very hard at times to convince him otherwise.

Seeker Karen

Hi all, I am new to all of this but I thank you so much for being available. My DH was diagnosed in March with mild dementia (ES?) I’d noticed his lack of memory or ability to recollect recent events or conversations for months prior to March. I arranged to retire early to be with him more before the diagnosis because I was very concerned but I am finding that it has been financially difficult because we expected me to work another few years. I am able to work part time, primarily full days a few days a week, sometimes 5 days a week for a full week. The work is primarily out of our area and my DH travels with me. We stay in our 5th wheel or in hotel rooms, depending on whether we can find an rv park nearby, and our old and ill dog travels with us. DH seems able to handle it for the most part but lately he seems to sleep the day away and be lethargic when I get back. I am not sure if this is part of the advancement of the disease or not. He is having more frequent memory lapses, has started shuffling his feet when walking, and seems generally lethargic. This is the same even when we are home. He toggles between being upbeat and wanting to go places and just wanting to sleep. I am having a hard time understanding what part is the disease and what part is depression,, frustration, or

jsps139_

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/214721#Comment_214721

I get exhausted just reading your post! Oh Ronda, that has to be awful. We do so much, and constant interruption of our sleep is so hard on our bodies! I hope this is a temporary situation for him that ends soon.